What Water & Life Lab does

Water & Life Lab Srl is an Italian accredited analytical laboratory headquartered in Entratico (Bergamo), operating three Italian offices (Entratico HQ, Casalmaggiore CR opened 2011, Salerno opened 2012) with a team of ~40 employees. Founded in 1981 and owned within the Carso Group network since 2009, the company delivers two core service divisions: an Environmental and Work Hygiene division (atmosphere emissions, water/soil/waste characterization, asbestos, Legionella, occupational hygiene, biomass/biogas parameters) and a Fruit, Vegetable and Cereal division offering multi-residual pesticide analysis (~600 parameters via GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, updated annually), allergen testing (ELISA), GMO detection (PCR), mycotoxins, dioxins, metals (ICP-MS), microbiological pathogen detection (Real-time PCR for Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli O157:H7), and nutritional parameters. The company has progressively added regulated adjacent offerings, including accredited ethylene oxide analysis in oilseeds (since June 2021), biogas/biomethane analytical services aligned with UNI/TS 11567:2020 (expanded 2020), and ENplus®-recognized pellet analysis (2022). It is accredited to UNI EN ISO/IEC 17025 via ACCREDIA since 1994, with mutual recognition across 35+ countries, and holds additional ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, ISO 14001:2015 (DNV), QS, BNN (since 2015), AIC, ENplus®, Japanese Ministry of Health, Russian Federation, and Italian Ministry of Health (asbestos) credentials.

The company monetizes via quote-based professional services pricing — customers request quotes via website form, email, or phone and are assigned a dedicated technical contact ("tutor"). Go-to-market combines sales-led direct engagement with channel leverage from the Carso Group ecosystem (50+ European labs, 3,300 staff) and a Turkey-focused partnership with Ecosolutions for international import-export coverage. Customer mix is vertically diversified across fruit/vegetable/cereal producers, environmental services companies, manufacturing/industrial firms, organic and baby food producers, biogas/biomethane plant operators, and public bodies/municipalities. Distribution combines direct field/enterprise sales with a light digital and webinar presence on LinkedIn and the corporate website. In September 2024 the Board adopted Organizational Model 231 and a new Code of Ethics, signaling governance maturation of a mature, owner-aligned services business.

Name

Water & Life Lab

Legal name

Water & Life Lab Srl

Website

https://waterlifelab.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Water & Life Lab is an Italian accredited analytical laboratory (founded 1981, ~40 staff, three Italian offices, part of Carso Group) delivering chemical and microbiological testing across environmental compliance, workplace hygiene, and food/ag safety — including pesticide residues, pathogens, allergens, biogas, and ENplus® pellet analysis — for producers, processors, municipalities, and bioenergy operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Analytical Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen) (AFALAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Ice & Process Utility Testing for Food Operations (AFALAAAJ), Water Sampling, Testing & Laboratory Analysis (Legionella/Microbiology) (BPABAJAB), Microbiology & Pathogen Monitoring (Legionella, Coliform, HABs) (EUAHACAI), Microbiological Water Testing (Coliform/E. coli, HPC, Legionella) (AFALAJAD)

Keywords

• Environmental analytical laboratory
• Food safety testing
• Workplace hygiene testing
• Pesticide residue analysis
• Microbiological laboratory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergamo

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Chemical Analysis Services: Laboratory analysis services including environmental analyses (emissions, water quality, soil contamination), food safety analyses (pesticides, mycotoxins, allergens), and work hygiene analyses. Revenue generated through per-test pricing based on analysis types requested.
2. Technical and Regulatory Consulting: Environmental consulting services including regulatory assistance, authorization procedures (AIA, VIA, SCIA, AUA), waste management, and environmental reclamation. Provided alongside analysis services as a bundled offering.
3. Sampling Services: On-site sampling operations carried out by trained and qualified technicians. Laboratory is accredited for chemical and microbiological tests on water, air, soil, and waste samples.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Water & Life Lab is an accredited analytical laboratory (UNI EN ISO/IEC 17025 via ACCREDIA since 1994) providing chemical and microbiological testing across two main divisions: (1) Environment & Work Hygiene — atmosphere emissions, air/water/soil quality, waste classification, asbestos, Legionella, and workplace chemical/biological/physical agent assessment; (2) Fruit, Vegetable & Cereals — multi-residual pesticide analysis (~600 parameters via GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS), mycotoxins, allergens via ELISA, GMOs via PCR, microbiological pathogens via Real-time PCR, and nutritional parameters. Additional services cover biogas/biomethane and ENplus® pellet testing plus environmental regulatory consulting. Services are bundled (sampling + analysis + consulting) and delivered with 24–72 hour turnaround targets.

Product overview

Water & Life Lab operates as a unified laboratory testing platform offering integrated environmental, occupational hygiene, and food/agri-product analysis services across two main divisions. The core offering consists of: (1) the Environmental and Work Hygiene Division providing atmosphere emissions, water quality, soil contamination, waste classification, asbestos detection, and biomass analysis services; (2) the Fruit & Vegetable and Cereal Division delivering pesticide residue testing (multi-residual GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS), microbiological pathogen detection via Real-time PCR, chemical analysis (metals, allergens, GMOs, mycotoxins), and nutritional parameter testing; (3) specialized Bioenergy services for biogas/biomethane and pellet producers; and (4) technical consulting for environmental compliance. The company holds UNI EN ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation since 1994 and operates within the CARSO Italia laboratory network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Analysis Services (Divisione Ambiente e Igiene del Lavoro) Comprehensive environmental testing services including atmosphere emissions control, air quality monitoring, water quality testing, soil contamination verification, waste characterization and classification, asbestos fiber detection, and biomass/biogas plant parameter analysis. Targeted at industrial operators and environmental service companies needing compliance with D.Lgs 152/06 and D.Lgs 155/2010.
• Work Hygiene Analysis Services Occupational health testing services including identification and quantification of chemical and biological airborne agents, microclimate assessment, physical agent evaluation (noise, vibrations, electromagnetic fields, lighting), asbestos fiber analysis, and Legionella detection and counting (ISO 11731:2017, M.U. 1037:2014). Targeted at manufacturing and industrial companies requiring compliance with D.Lgs 81/08.
• Fruit & Vegetable and Cereal Division Services Testing services for fruit, vegetable and cereal producers/processors using multi-residual pesticide analysis (GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS covering ~600 parameters), chemical analysis (metals via ICP-MS, allergens via ELISA, GMOs via PCR, dioxins, mycotoxins), microbiological pathogen detection (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli O157:H7 via Real-time PCR), and nutritional parameter determination, with specialized focus on organic food and baby food sectors. Targeted at food producers needing safety compliance and export certification for EU, USA, Russia, and Japan markets.
• Bioenergy Analysis Services Specialized analytical services for biogas/biomethane and pellet/wood chip producers including biomass characterization, digestate analysis, biogas/biomethane quality testing, environmental compliance checks, VOC analysis in biogas samples (over 70 molecules), off-gas methane concentration analysis, ENplus® recognized pellet analysis per ISO 17225-2:2021, wood chip classification per ISO 17225-4:2021, combustion plant emissions control, efficiency verification (D.Lgs 28/2011), and ash analysis. Targeted at biogas/biomethane plant operators, pellet producers, and bioenergy combustion facilities.
• Technical and Regulatory Consulting Expert technical and regulatory advisory services for environmental compliance including authorization procedures (AIA, VIA, SCIA, AUA), waste tracking system management, environmental remediation support, and public entity support for acoustic zoning and urban environment quality verification. Targeted at municipalities, industrial operators, and companies requiring turnkey analysis-plus-consulting engagements.
• Ethylene Oxide Accredited Analysis in Oilseeds Accredited quantitative analysis of ethylene oxide residues in oilseeds and derived products, supporting food importers and producers verifying compliance with EU Regulation 2020/1540 border controls on sesame and other matrices from India.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48-72 hours turnaround for multi-residual and toxin analysis
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Carso GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Water & Life Lab joined the Carso Group laboratory network in 2009. Carso is a French group created in 1992, one of the main players in the European chemical and microbiological analysis market. In Europe, the group has over 50 laboratories and 3,300 employees operating in environmental, food, industrial hygiene, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, forensics, energy and mining sectors.
• EcosolutionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Ecosolutions in Turkey enables Water & Life Lab to directly and reliably oversee the Turkish market. Ecosolutions is a qualified and specialized company in the sector that allows direct presence in this important import-export market.
• Carso Italia NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarso Italia brings together laboratories specialized in agri-food sector (with leadership in vegetable food analysis) and environmental sector (with leading position in environmental and air quality controls). Network includes Water & Life Lab (Bergamo), Indam Laboratori (Brescia), F.O.R.I.A (Bergamo), Agro.Biolab Laboratory (Bari), Arace Laboratori Srl (Foggia), Multiproject (Gorizia), and Laboratori Chimici Stante (Bologna and Milano).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Global TIC firm with food and agri testing capabilities alongside broader industrial services. Comparable on multi-jurisdiction export certification and ISO 17025-accredited methodologies.
• TÜV Italia (TÜV SÜD / TÜV Rheinland): Italian arm of major German TIC groups offering accredited food, environmental, and occupational testing. Comparable accreditations and direct overlap on workplace hygiene, Legionella, and environmental compliance testing.
• Mérieux NutriSciences (bioMérieux): Global food testing and sensory analysis provider with strong European lab network. Closely comparable in food safety testing (pesticide residues, microbiology, allergens) and regulatory consulting, serving similar food producer and retailer customers.
• SGS: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) giant with extensive agri-food and environmental testing services. Comparable on accreditation breadth (ISO 17025, BNN-equivalent schemes) and international mutual recognition, with broader geographic and vertical coverage.
• Bureau Veritas: Major TIC operator offering agri-food, environmental, and commodity testing across Europe. Comparable regulatory accreditations and ability to certify product for export to multiple jurisdictions.
• Eurofins Scientific: World-leading food, environmental, pharmaceutical and clinical testing group with hundreds of labs across Europe. Directly comparable to Water & Life Lab on multi-residual pesticide, microbiological, and environmental testing capabilities, but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• LGC Group: UK-based life sciences and measurement services company with food and environmental testing divisions. Comparable on reference laboratory capabilities, proficiency testing, and genomics/molecular biology services.
• ALS Limited: International testing services group with strong food, environmental, and life sciences capabilities in Europe. Comparable on environmental monitoring, food residue analysis, and occupational hygiene offerings.

Direct peers

• AGROLAB Group: German-based European lab network specializing in agricultural, food, and environmental testing with multi-residual pesticide screens and similar accreditations (QS, BNN). A close comparable peer for Water & Life Lab's fruit/vegetable/cereal and organic testing focus.
• Indam Laboratori: Sister lab within the Carso Italia network (Brescia), focused on agri-food analysis with leadership in vegetable food testing. Highly comparable product mix and accreditation profile, sharing the Carso Group parent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water-and-life-lab

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Water & Life Lab